Bracket and rod coupling for curtain fixtures



Nov. 15, 1927.

J. H. BOYE BRACKET AND ROD COUPLING FOR CURTAIN FIXTURES Fild April 8Jim/a5 H 3094?,

katented l5, l iiii't JAMES H. JBOYE, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS. ASSIGNQB 2OJAMEE; 1H. IBKJYE MANUFACTUR- ING COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ACORPQRATEIUIPI 0]? ILLINOIS.

BRACKET AND ROD COUPLING FOR CURTAIN FIXTURES.

Application filed April 8,

This invention relates to the art of our tain fixtures and has referencemore part-icularly to an improved bracket and rod coupling for curtainrods of the well-known fiat type, wherein the rod is formed with elbowend portions which telescope over and yieldably interlock with forwardlyprojecting bracket arms attached to the sides of the window casing.Bracket and rod couplings of this type, wherein the end portion of therod and the arm of the bracket are formed one with a spring lockingmember and the other with a recess into which the locking member snapswhen the two parts are telescoped are known; and a coupling of this typewherein the transverse elasticity of the rod and its flanges is utilizedto effect the locking action is disclosed in a former Patent No.1,584,354 granted to me on the 11th day of May, 1926.

Rod and bracket couplings of this type have heretofore involveda greateror less degree of lateral looseness or side play between the bracket andthe rod when the parts have been coupled, and one object of my presentinvention is to provide a coupling which will eliminate this side play.Heretofore, also, one result of the spring locking devices has been tomore or less cant or tilt the base end of the bracket arm away from theouter or face wall of the rod, thus tending to throw the bracket arm andthe portion of the rod that telescopes thereon out of exact alignment.Another object of the invention is to provide an improved bracket androd coupling which will automatically tend to thrust the base end of thebracket arm towardthe outer or face wall of the rod and thus maintainproper alignment of the bracket arm and the end portion of the rodengaged thereby. A still further object of the invention is to provide aconstruction wherein the transverse elasticity of the locking tongue andthe transverse elasticity of the rod and its flanges will cooperate toautomatically take up all lateral slack and lost motion between theparts and thereby provide a firn'i and rigid -coupling. A still furtherobject isto provide a construction whereinthe transverse elasticity ofthe rod and its flanges may be utilized to force the locking tongue toquiclv 1y snap its cooperating recess or 1927. Serial. No. 181,917.

and continue to engage the latter under its inherent tension.

Still other objects and attendant advantages of the invention will beapparent to persons skilled in the art as the same becomes betterunderstood by reference to the following detailed description, takeninconnection with the accompanying drawing wherein l have illustrated apractical and preferred embodiment of the invention, and in which Figure1 is a front elevation of an en portion of a flat curtain rod andsupporting bracket therefor, embodying the invention. Figure 2 is a topplan view of Figure 1. Figure 3 is a horizontal section, enlarged, onthe line 33 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is an inner side elevation of the bracket.

Figure 5 is a top plan of the bracket. Figure 6 is an outer sideelevation of the bracket.

Figure 7 is an end elevation of the elbow arm of the rod that telescopesover the bracket.

Figure 8 is a vertical section of the elbow arm of the rod on the line88 of Figure .9. Figure 9 is an inner side elevation of the elbow end ofthe rod.

Referring tothe drawing, 10 designates a curtain rod of the well-knownflat type, formed with an integral elbow end portion 11 that telescopesover the forwardly projecting arm of an angle bracket'attached to thewindow casing. Slightly in rear of its extreme end the outer or facewall of the end portion 11 is pressed outwardly, forming a shallowrecess or socket 12 having an inclined transverse rear wall 12, bestshown in Fig. 9, that cooperates with a spring locking tongue onthebracket. as hereinafter described: and preferably also the extreme endportion of the outer wall, beyond the recess 12. is pressed outwardly,as shown at 13, thereby forming between the recesses 12 and 18 atransverse rib 14, the function of which will'hereafter appear.Substantially opposite the rib l4lthe inturned flanges 11 of the rod,which possess considerable transverse elasticity, are indented thusforming said flanges a pair of internal earns 15. The angle bracketcomprises fiat attach ing base 16, and a forwardly extending flat arm 17disposed at a right angle to the base. The outer side of the arm 17,slightly forwardly of the base 16, is indented to form on the oppositeor inner side of the arm a low transversely disposed ridge 18, and fromthe metal of the arm 17 is cut and bent outwardly an inclined springtongue 19. The free end portion of the t'uigue is cut out of the outerside wall of the ridge 18. so that the free end or tip of the tongue isslightly bent toward the plane of the arm 17, as shown at 19 in Figs. 3,5 and G. In the interlocked position of the parts shown in Fig. 3 thisinwardly inclined tip 19 of the tongue bears against the correspondinglyinclined transverse wall 12 of the locking recess 12, preventingaccidental displacement of the rod from the bracket arm and facilitatingthe inward camming of the tongue by the rib 14 when the rod is withdrawnfrom the bracket.

Intelescoping the end of the rod over the bracket arm, the rib 14sliding over the back of the tongue 19 cams the latter inwardly untilthe hump of the tongue passes the peak of the rib 14, whereupon thetongue snaps into the recess 12 and, at the same time, the tip 19 of thetongue slides down the inclined transverse wall 12' of the recess 12,thus tending to draw the elbow end of the rod to final position on thebracket arm with its extreme end in contact with the base 16. Duringthis operation of telescoping the rod arm onto the bracket arm, thereaction of the spring tongue 19 on the rib 14 draws the cams 15 hardagainst the opposite side of the bracket arm,so that not only does thetongue 19 bend inwardly but at the same time the cams 15 yield outwardlyunder the resiliency of the rod and the flanges 011 which they areformed, so that by the time the rib 14 has passed the hump of thetongue, the spring reaction of the flanges and their cams 15 cooperateswith the spring reaction of the tongue to effect the full interlockingof the tongue with its recess and to maintain the tongue in suchinterlocked position under the inherent tension of both the tongue andthe cams, thus effectively preventing any side play or rattle of the rodarm on the bracket arm.

As the tongue snaps into locking position, the cams 15 are drawn hardagainst the transverse ridge 18 on the inner side of the bracket arm,and this acts to draw the recess into snug engagement with the tongueand at the same time creates a relative side thrust between the baseportion of the bracket arm and the inner surface of the front or facewall of the rod arm pressing said parts together, thereby aligning thebracket arm with the rod arm and squaring the bracket base relatively tothe rod arm. This latter feature is desirable for the reason that, in

mounting curtain rods of this type, the brackets are often first fittedinto the arms of the rod, and are then attached to the window frame bythe usual fastening screws.

It will be noted that the described interlocking effects are securedentirely by integrally formed members on the rod and bracket, withoutthe use of attachments. The swell 13 at the end of the front wall of therod arm is not essential, but is preferably employed to reduce thefriction on the back of the tongue as the parts are being telescoped,thus augmenting the ease of the telescoping operation.

I claim- 1. In a bracket and rod coupling for ourtain fixtures. thecombination of a bracket arm formed with a laterally projecting lockingtongue on one side thereof and a transverse ridge on its other sideopposite the tip of said tongue, and an end section of a flat curtainrod formed with a recess in its front wall to receive said lockingtongue and with elastic inturned flanges on its upper and lower edges.said flanges having indentations adapted to bear under the inherentspring pressure of said rod section and flanges against said ridge.

2. In a bracket and rod coupling for curtain fixtures, the combinationof a flat bracket arm formed on one side thereof with a longitudinaloutwardly inclined locking tongue having an inwardly bent tip, and atransverse ridge on its other side opposite the tip of said tongue, andan end section of a flat curtain rod formed with a recess in its frontwall to receive said locking tongue and with elastic inturned flanges onits upper and lower edges. said flanges having transverse indentationsin their free edge portions adapted to bear under the inherent springpressure of said rod section and flanges against said ridge.

3. In a bracket and rod coupling for curtain fixtures. the combinationof a flat bracket arm formed on one side thereof with a longitudinaloutwardly inclined locking tongue having an inwardly bent tip, and atransverse ridge on its other side opposite the tip of said tongue, andan end section of a flat curtain rod formed with a recess in its frontwall to seat said locking tongue. said recess having an inclinedtransverse wall against which the inclined tip of said tongue bears, andwith elastic inturned flanges on its upper and lower edges. said flangeshaving transverse indentations in their free edge portions adapted tobear under the inherent spring pressure of said rod section and flangesagainst said ridge.

4. In a bracket and rod coupling for curtain fixtures. the combinationof a flat bracket arm formed on the outer side thereof with alongitudinal outwardly inclined spring locking tongue having an inwardlybent tip, and a transverse ridge on its other tongue slides as the partsare teiescoped, and side opposite the tip of said tongue, and an withelastic intnrned flanges on its upper end section of a fiat curtain rodformed With and lower edges, said flanges being indented W a lockingrecess in its front Wall to receive there under the inherent springpressure of 5 said locking tongue, an end recess in its front said rodsection and flanges against said well forming with said locking recess atrans ridge.

verse rib over Which the back of said spring JAMES H. BOYE.

